House Hunters Renovation - General Discussion

[sheetmoss]

2 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

California: It looked odd for the entrance (not calling it a “mud room”!) to open almost directly into the kitchen.  Ugh, on the kids sitting in the middle of the island with their feet all over it. Again, I’m tired of so much white. I watched an HGTV show Saturday night called “Bought at First Sight.” The H/W flippers bought a 1915 Craftsman that had the original wood trim, beams, and built-ins. The wife painted them all white and replaced the fireplace mantle and frame with a white and black tile. 😱 What a travesty.

 

I saw Bought at First Sight too, and was dismayed that trim was painted over.  Many times I'm on the fence with a love/hate w/keeping lots of stained trim or paneling  - but in this case,  I was sad they painted it over and made it so generic looking. They even dis the builtin in the office/bdrm.

    Kitchen and baths renos didn't impress me much either

Strangely, they kept the dried-out looking  front door that needed some love the same.

I kept wishing that other southern CA couple on HGTV--Vintage Flip, that flip vintage homes could have done the reno, 

                 Would have loved to see what Brett Waterman/Restored  on DIY could have done too.

BTW, they weren't married, only business partners,

Edited January 14, 2019 by sheetmoss

[shlbycindyk]

I'm curious if there's some rule on this show, and other reno shows, where you're not allowed to say the words "room" or "area"? I'm so sick of hearing the word "space".  Does HGTV deliver an electric shock to anyone who says the word "room".  Now they're even calling yards, "green spaces".  It's very distracting.  

I'm totally over the all white kitchens, the black and white cement floor tiles, subway tiles with gray grout or any grout for that matter, open shelving, barn doors,  and women with vocal fry or who try to sound like a toddler when they talk.  I'm also tired of seeing people swinging sledge hammers and not giving any thought to how something could be either re-used or saved.   I'm especially over all the faked drama and the need for open concept everything. Do these people really entertain that much and if so, are their friends so hilarious they don't want to miss one second of anything that say?  I usually have everything already cooked and ready when I have guests over.  I guess these people wait to start the dinner until their guests arrive.

I'm really hoping the episode where the mother painted the fireplace turquoise was some type of inside joke and they really didn't leave it that way.  It was hideous.  Stripping it and staining it a lighter color would have been so much better and kept with the vintage theme of the house. 

I'm almost to the point of removing this show from my DVR.  All of the homes are starting to look just alike and I'm underwhelmed by most of them.  I've already removed Property Brothers from my DVR lineup because of the same problems. 

[LittleIggy]

Denver: I thought their reno was nice. I liked the pops of blue. At least the couple didn’t go over budget instead putting off things for the future. Oh, and remember: Measure twice, cut once. 😆

Yeah, the cat will be in that bathroom all winter! I’ve never had heated floors, but years ago I lived in a restored 1915 apartment building that had steam radiators. In the winter, Ming Li, my cat, would curl up on the tile floor in front of the radiator in the bathroom.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I'm just glad that they showed the egress windows.      Those are a requirement for putting living quarters in the basement, and too often people have non-conforming bedrooms, and are not recognizing the danger of those tiny windows.       The only part of the remodel on the bath I was not on board with, is the sink.     That back edge is not going to work for putting cosmetics, and other items there, so the zero counter space will be a continuing problem.    

[sheetmoss]

13 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Denver: I thought their reno was nice. I liked the pops of blue. At least the couple didn’t go over budget instead putting off things for the future. Oh, and remember: Measure twice, cut once. 😆

Yeah, the cat will be in that bathroom all winter! I’ve never had heated floors, but years ago I lived in a restored 1915 apartment building that had steam radiators. In the winter, Ming Li, my cat, would curl up on the tile floor in front of the radiator in the bathroom.

Yes they did, but sadly, their $90k budget went for  a generic basement-looking master bdrm, bath/utility room w/some existing plumbing in place,  a few new windows and a cabinet/bench seat/new counters in the kitchen.

I wonder if  banquette had storage?

    BTW  - I can't believe the budget breaker  'drama' was over a $400. bathroom window. SMH

[CrazyInAlabama]

I hate the banquettes, and don't understand how an L shaped seat works with the round tables they keep putting with them.     I guess the person on the end gets a tray table?  

I wish they had used one nice color for the wide band in the shower, instead of differing colors.     A nice light aqua would have been nice.     I'm not known for my daring choices in interior design however, or as a friend said, I'm not trendy. 

The only way the pantry cabinet would have worked is if it wasn't assembled when they bought it, and assembled it in place.    Or if it was the kind with the separate base you sit it on, and that makes up for the height of the ceiling v. cabinet height.  

I noticed that even though the designer said they could use the wall ledge of the bathroom sink for personal items, there was nothing on it.    

Did they put a handrail on the stairs?   It definitely needed one.     And what did they do with the basement tiles?   They certainly looked old enough to be asbestos.  

Edited January 20, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[sheetmoss]

2 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I hate the banquettes, and don't understand how an L shaped seat works with the round tables the keep putting with them.     I guess the one on the end gets a tray table?  

I wish they had used one nice color for the wide band in the shower, instead of differing colors.     A nice light aqua would have been nice.     I'm not known for my daring choices in interior design however, or as a friend said, I'm not trendy. 

The only way the pantry cabinet would have worked is if it wasn't assembled when they bought it, and assembled it in place.    Or if it was the kind with the separate base you sit it on, and that makes up for the height of the ceiling v. cabinet height.  

I noticed that even though the designer said they could use the wall ledge of the bathroom sink for personal items, there was nothing on it.    

Did they put a handrail on the stairs?   It definitely needed one.     And what did they do with the basement tiles, they certainly looked old enough to be asbestos.  

I was wondering about the basement floor tiles as well. 

Usually when a HO gets a significant price reduction  I think there's an issue that's addressed later  on so that the HO's can wring their hands over for the budget or timeframe drama, but this couple paid $8K over asking, - so maybe this house was in a really desirable area and people were willing to eat the abatement?

Then again I didn't notice what they did in the bdrm for a flr covering - since asbestos isn't an issue  unless disturbed, they may have just covered it over for now, do later or when they sell.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The basement floor tiles screamed asbestos to me, and quite a few were missing, and a lot were loose and displaced.     About half looked like they were still attached, and I think removal and disposal should have been handled by specialists.    I'm sure they had an abatement team take care of removal.   

Denver is still a hot market, (fortunately not as hot as it used to be, that was outrageous for a while) and some neighborhoods with vintage houses, and centrally located are still having bidding wars.   They're lucky they only had to go $8k over to get the house.   

I think the bedroom floor was the wood look tile, but it had an area rug too.  It might have been real wood floors, but I don't know.

Edited January 20, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[ByaNose]

Denver: it was an okay renovation but I wasn’t particularly wowed by anything. The white quartz counter looked nice. The master bedroom for the basement was a nice addition but I didn’t like the colors. The new master bath was nice too but I didn’t care for the tile but I liked the round mirror (need to find where I can’t that) and, the long sing was a good compromise for individual sinks. I would love to see what they do with the outside and if they even flip the garage around. Overall, a nice couple who did a good job with what they had but it it was kind of a bland renovation. Nothing popped for me. 

[LittleIggy]

Thousand Oaks: I’m so pissed at the wife! She couldn’t let her husband have the natural wood mantelpiece? It just HAD to be white. 🙄 What the  f**k is wrong with color? I liked the bathroom layout but not the sterile palette.

[twinks]

I didn't like the white mantle at all. The oak one was much nicer. Overall I did like the reno. Too much drama over silly things like the entry door. Who buys a door without measurements?

[CrazyInAlabama]

Thousand Oaks was OK, but at least they resisted the urge to rip out very nice, usable kitchen, and just painted it.  The bathroom was so boring, and the white mantle continued that total lack of color.    The bathroom had so much empty space after they combined the two sections.    They could have moved a wall, still had a huge bathroom, and made another great closet with tons of storage.      I think the wood mantle looked great, and made the fireplace a focal point.      They could have saved a bundle on that house if they had gone with nice quality, but not brass/gold fixtures, and kitchen hardware.      That house is going to look very dated within a few years because of the fixtures, and hardware.      

I love that it was a priority to get a great fence around that pool, and that they actually showed it.        

Unless I missed it (entirely possible I did) they again didn't mention what either of the couple did.    I noticed that last week also, so maybe they've stopped saying that.   I'm sure it was an issue with people bothering the HHR couples later.   

I hope they put shades on the bath windows, because it looked like it was right on the patio.   

Edited January 28, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[ByaNose]

Thousand Oaks. Overall, it was a good renovation. I don’t even really like mid century modern but this turned out pretty nice but rather bland. I was glad they painted the cabinets and kept the counters. It turned out nice. I’m not into the gold finishes though. I know it’s in trend but it reminds of the gaudy gold from the past. I didn’t mind the white mantle too much but it was tiny looking. I would have gone for something more chunky looking. The master bath was a huge space. It was kind of bland but clean looking. He said he was a minimalist so that’s what he got. LOL!!! The question I have is where  is the bathroom located? It looked like you could see the front yard. Maybe, it was the backyard. Either way, the sheer curtains kind of gave you some privacy but it looked like the master bath was at ground level. I was glad to see they put a little privacy fence for the pool. That was a good call. BTW! I much preferred the orange front door then the robin egg blue they went with. I thought the couple were a nice match and seemed to like each other which is always helpful. LOL!!!

[juliet73]

Thousand Oaks:  I was very underwhelmed by this reno.  The pros:  the fence around the pool!  I'm glad they painted the kitchen cabinets.  I'm not a fan of brass hardware or $2000 light fixtures, but I think in this house it works because they tie in more with the MCM look of the house.  No sliding barn doors!  The cons:  The fireplace mantel!!!  1. It was way too small!  It should have thicker, run the length of the fireplace, and should NOT have been painted white!  The master bathroom. There was so much space that was totally not utilized.  The shower and the tub area were fine, but the floating double vanity didn't work.  The white walls, white floor, white subway tile, white sheers, etc  were a fail.  For a room that large, some color was needed, even if it was just beiges or greys.  Also, they definitely could have added a linen closet or a makeup vanity instead of the lame bench.  They could have installed decorative shelving on the wall next to the tub instead of that big stupid cactus.  Finally why didn't they change out the overhead kitchen light?!  And what was up with those horsey electrical outlet plates?  

Edited January 28, 2019 by juliet73

[CrazyInAlabama]

They had several reruns of HHR this morning, and they showed the one in Massachusetts where they ripped down the wall in the kitchen, island.    They wanted to have family dinners, and I guess they would be at their parents' house, because they only had a round table for four, and the island bar stools.   

[LittleIggy]

Massachusetts (2-2-19): Thank goodness they at least used those grey crackled glaze tiles for that wall. They looked nice. When the wife started whining about white grout, I yelled at the TV “Throw the man a bone, b***h! Let him at least have the grey grout!” Glad he got his way unlike the poor guy who wanted the wood stained mantel.

BTW, I can’t for the life of me understand the appeal of the blonde hair over black hair look.🙄

[CrazyInAlabama]

I can't believe that she ripped the one bathroom totally out, and because of that cost they skipped redoing the roof, and putting in a fence.      

I hated her frosted hair, it looked so old-fashioned and harsh.   

I hate open shelving in the kitchen.     In my view, it's because you spent too much, and can't afford extra upper cabinets, and you know the open shelves will be dust catchers.  I hate the solution to hiding the vent pipe adding a faux beam, and cutting the wall cabinet down.      I hated the way the faux beam looked over the vent pipe.   

The kitchen with all white cabinets could have used a counter top with more veining.     They make veined white quartz where the entire slab is unique, and looks like natural stone.   The backsplash tile was great, and plain white would have been awful.   I'm guessing the woman would have wanted white grout with that too?    She was determined to get everything her way, wasn't she?  If the woman had her way with everything in the kitchen, you would have had to wear sunglasses because of the glare. 

I didn't like the sage green in the bedroom, but I don't like the yellow either.  

It's nothing to brag about that they stayed in their $75k budget, when a lot went to the bathroom she ripped out, and that means they have a roof with potential leaks, and no fence.    

I would have bought the third house, not the first, and definitely not the second.    

Edited February 5, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[laredhead]

CrazyInAlabama, I agree with almost everything you said about the house redo.  I noticed there was dead corner space in the kitchen between the pantry cabinet and the sink counter and no way to access it and use it for storage.  I remodeled my kitchen a couple of years ago, and worked very closely with the kitchen designer to maximize every inch of space.  What could have been a dead corner in my kitchen cabinets ended up with a wonderful pull out/fold out storage unit.  Maybe moving the dishwasher to the other side of the sink could have solved that problem.  I also did not like the microwave behind the cabinet doors.  I used my microwave several times a day and I don't want to have to open and close cabinet doors each time it is in use.  Instead of removed the entire wall between the kitchen and dining area, I would have removed the upper part, put in a wide counter, and had bottom cabinets installed to give more storage.  I'm not a fan of open shelving, and the placement of those was awkward if you are short and trying to reach something in the corner.  I was screaming at the TV over the pipe drama.  Maybe I'm not as picky as most, but I would have left the pipe, painted it to match the tile and saved a lot of money.  I hope they didn't toss all of that knotty pine cabinetry into the dumpster.  It could be reused by someone I'm sure.  I actually like knotty pine in certain applications, but I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea.  I'm tired of white on white on gray on gray as color choices in kitchens.  Bring back color!    

Painting the tile in the upstairs bath was a smart, $$ saving move.  I did that in my main bathroom and no one can tell it has been coated.  It costs $600 which was a lot better than demolishing the bathroom.  The trick is having a professional do the work.   I would have lived with the downstairs bath and installed a fence to hide the neighbor's trashy house and yard.  Oh yeah, sure, a nice looking bathroom is more important than a new roof any day.  Of course, if the roof leaks and it ruins all of those new renovations, I guess it might have been prudent to take care of the basics first.            

[CrazyInAlabama]

I just have a vision of her sitting in her house screaming because the snow melted, and water is pouring into the house.   Meanwhile, her kids are running around the neighborhood, because they didn't put in a fence.      The new bathroom was OK, but not worth a new roof, and a fence.    I wouldn't have bought a house with the only full bath downstairs, and only a half bath upstairs where the bedrooms are.       I'm sure they could have done better than that house, if they weren't stuck on being close to her Mom and Dad.    I bet you anything that when the parents saw the patched roof, and the lack of fence that they paid for it.     The kitchen wasn't well planned at all, and I think another designer would have done a better job.    

I had a lot of hope for them when they sprayed the epoxy paint on the upstairs bath.     They could have done that downstairs too, moved the doorway around, and replaced the tub/shower combo, and saved at least half.    Maybe someone should tell people that children grow up just fine with pink or green tiled bathrooms, and no one every died from exposure to that color palette either.  

Edited February 4, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[twinks]

Agree with all the comments! Again I don't understand when people are on a tight budget and they spend so much on high end finishes. The house had no curb appeal. I can't believe how much they invested and the place looks horrible.

[buttersister]

She just oops, went and tore out the entire bathroom? Wheeee! How much mileage will the long-suffering husband get when that roof goes or every single time they go into the backyard?

[juliet73]

Wakefield:  I watched the beginning and the end, but fast forwarded through everything else so I didn't know of all the drama until I read these comments.  From what I saw, I thought the husband and wife were okay.  They had minimal expectations (no spa bathroom, no mancave/craft room, etc) and they knew what they could get in their budget.  However, I thought it was ridiculous that the grout and the roman shade in the kitchen cost $600 EACH!  They could have saved at least $1000 going with way less expensive options and put that money towards a fence.  BTW, I agree with everyone else, that the roof should have been at the top of the renovation list.  

I didn't mind the beam to cover the pipe because it did tie in with the dining room beam.  However, I did not like the backsplash tile going all the way to the ceiling.  Also, the opening shelving was a major fail. They could have totally installed an upper corner cabinet and still had room to put cabinets on each side of the window.  Or at least installed another upper cabinet to mirror the opposite wall.  Considering they wanted more counter space and storage, the new kitchen had about half as the old one.  I'm glad they took that wall down, but I would have turned the dining table in the other direction.

I didn't notice any new outlets in the upstairs bath so I guess the wife is still not going to be able to plug in her hair dryer or flat iron.

I can't believe they spent $75k, but the cords from the wall mounted TV were exposed and running down the living room wall!  Seriously?! 

Even though their priorities were off, I think the remodel turned out pretty well.  

On a vain note, the wife looked like an "older" mom, which is fine, but that harsh black eyeliner was doing her no favors!

Edited February 4, 2019 by juliet73

[ByaNose]

I did care for the new support beam. I understood why they did it but I didn’t like how it turned out. It looked like it was an add on which it was but just stood out to me. I thought the kitchen turned out nice with the limited space they had. Of course, ripping out cabinets isn’t the best option when you have limited space to begin with but this is HGTV after all. LOL!!! The kids rooms were cute and the painting the tile in the bathroom turned out great. I’m sure it saved a lot of money. Overall, the couple was nice and seemed kind of normal which is a nice change.

[LittleIggy]

Who would have noticed that small bit of pipe (painted to match the background) unless someone specifically pointed it out?

[showmebutterfly]

My husband and I watched this together and when the wife on that episode had the bathroom ripped out without consulting her husband, we both just looked at each other and were like 'oh, hell no'. It makes you wonder how much that guy has to put up with off camera. I didn't mind the beam to cover the pipe in the kitchen, but agree that it could have just been painted to blend in. I think they should have put either cabinets on both sides or the shelves on both sides. The shelves on the one side with the cabinets on the other looked unbalanced. 

[izabella]

Wow, I can't believe they redid that kitchen and ended up with very little counter space, no island or peninsula, nothing. 

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, izabella said:

Wow, I can't believe they redid that kitchen and ended up with very little counter space, no island or peninsula, nothing. 

Seriously. That’s the smallest amount of usable surface I think I have seen on a renovation show. That amount of counter space would be sneered at on HH!

[laredhead]

I was not impressed with that kitchen designer's skills.  The husband should have stood his ground on more counter space and cabinets for storage.  He's the one who does the cooking.  The wife just wanted white, white, white and more white open space.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I doubt anything the husband says gets listened to.    There is no way that spineless jelly fish of a husband would say no and she would listen.    The only reason he got the back splash tile in the gray is because the designer said that it was a good choice, and the designer is the one that said white grout would look bad.     If the designer wouldn't have agreed about the tile and the grout, then the kitchen would have been a giant snow drift of white. 

[Pickles]

I guess they have stopped sharing what the homeowners do for a living. Tonight's episode in California. Another barn door. I would not have chosen the dark hardware for the kitchen cabinets. I would have put a fence around the pool (maybe it is coming in the future), even though they were making a separate closed off play area in the yard for the baby. I liked the couple. They got along well and made compromises. 

[LittleIggy]

California: Yeah, I wonder what they do for a living, too. Although they did go over budget, I did like that the husband nixed the fancy tiles for the floor of the shower to save money. I noticed the TV was not (thank goodness) over the fireplace so why all the drama about the wiring? 

The contractor must be an aspiring model or actor! 😛

[irisheyes]

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

California: Yeah, I wonder what they do for a living, too. Although they did go over budget, I did like that the husband nixed the fancy tiles for the floor of the shower to save money. I noticed the TV was not (thank goodness) over the fireplace so why all the drama about the wiring? 

The contractor must be an aspiring model or actor! 😛

They mentioned in the reveal that they were still trying to figure out what size TV they wanted to buy before mounting it. 

[juliet73]

Sherman Oaks:  After a quick Google search, I found that the wife is (was) a publicist and the husband is a regional sales manager for an industrial machinery and equipment company.  I really didn't care for her.  She seemed disgusted at cosmetic things along with everything else.  I think the realtor was over her.  At least he admitted the bathroom was functional and didn't need to be gutted immediately.

I thought the house was too open and there seemed to be a lot of wasted space.  I liked the kitchen, but they lost a ton of storage.  I didn't like the formal dining room being just a few steps away from the casual dining area.  I didn't like the fireplace either.  The pool still looked green and they should have budgeted for a safety gate to be installed around it.  IMO, this reno had so much potential, but in the end, it had no personal style.  It was cold and generic with a few trendy finishes.  

[laredhead]

The Sherman Oaks episode was sort of 50/50 for me.  I did not like the black hardware on the kitchen cabinets.  It was too jarring a contrast with all of the white.  When the designer first proposed high gloss cabinets with a smooth front, I was kind of excited to see something different, although white, instead of the same old Shaker style.  Well, I should have known better.  Before it was over, the cabinets were changed to white Shaker style - ugh.  There's nothing wrong with that style or color, but really people, there are so many other styles and colors available so why not be a little daring and try something different.  Also, $2,000 extra dollars for a 15" cabinets?  Those must be California prices.  When the HH's talk about going over budget, I usually am yelling at the TV that if they hadn't spent $2,000 on a 15" cabinet, or $800 on a light fixture that could have been purchased at Home Depot, then maybe they wouldn't have gone so far over budget.  Why, why, why more barn doors?  Pocket doors could have been installed and more room on the walls would have been available for art work.  

The view was beautiful.  I am assuming they will keep the access doors directly to the pool area locked.  Providing a safe side yard for the child to play is great, but when she learns to walk and open doors, more safety precautions should be taken along with very early swimming lessons.    

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think the two homeowners on HHR in Sherman Oaks go with whatever is trendy.   I think the one cabinet was so expensive because they wanted it expedited, and it was custom, so the price was high.    The barn doors for the office were awful, and could have used a nice, stock set of french doors that would have cost a ton less money.    I think they went for the darker hardware because it's trendy, and the designer said so.   They need to emphasize pool safety, like the people did on the other episode where the husband put up the fence before move in.       At least they waited on the master bath remodel, and were sensible on that.      They could have used nice finishes, but not overpriced tile and expensive tubs, they could have done the bathroom with the existing floor plan, and not the steam shower, and they would have saved over 50%, and done that also.       I like the play area with the gate for the baby, but they still need to fence the pool.  

$95k budget, actually spent $110k.     If they would have done a construction plan, and stuck to it, ordered the right amount of cabinets in the first place, and not done fancy hardware, and light fixtures that were way overpriced, they could have saved a bundle.     I disliked the kitchen remodel, the original one could have had the cabinets refaced, and replace the lowers on the outside wall (I'm guessing that when the dishwasher was removed, they would have noticed the mold, and ripped that side out for lowers anyway), and still had so much more storage.   

I really liked the second house much more, and disliked the third house.   The third house needed to be totally redone, and that was too much for that house.     The second house would have been mostly cosmetic remodeling, and could have been done in phases.      

Edited February 10, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[showmebutterfly]

Ugh. The waterfall island counter bothers me more than the barn doors. I feel like that type of counter is going to look dated in a few years. I kind of liked the before kitchen in the California house. The countertop was solid surface and the pantry beside the fridge went on forever. I would have scrubbed the cabinets, put on new hardware and called it good. 

[biakbiak]

The husband reminded me of a taller less bugeyed Rami Malek.

I did not like how much space there was between the back counter and the island. 

Edited February 11, 2019 by biakbiak

[LittleIggy]

16 hours ago, irisheyes said:

They mentioned in the reveal that they were still trying to figure out what size TV they wanted to buy before mounting it. 

I saw a TV mounted elsewhere. I don’t understand putting it over the mantle to start with. A TV should be at sitting eye level. 

[ByaNose]

California couple sure have money to burn. Overall, the house turned out nice. The kitchen was the usual white shaker & white countertop. I didn’t like the dark hardware though. It was kind heavy & chunky looking. They went way over budget at 15k but they apparently have money growing on trees so I’m sure they’ll be fine. The office looked nice even with the over used barn dooor look. When will that end? I had to look up the contractor because he looked too good looking to be just a contractor but his LinkedIn doesn’t point to any modeling or acting. Color me shocked. He’s just your ordinary good looking guy who looks like a model who can do real guy work. I’m very impressed. LOL!!!!!!

ETA: I stand corrected. I checked his Instagram (don’t judge) he’s most definitely a model who dabbles in contracting or vice versa. At least, he works. I’m okay with that. 

Edited February 11, 2019 by ByaNose

[Empress1]

9 hours ago, ByaNose said:

California couple sure have money to burn. Overall, the house turned out nice. The kitchen was the usual white shaker & white countertop. I didn’t like the dark hardware though. It was kind heavy & chunky looking. They went way over budget at 15k but they apparently have money growing on trees so I’m sure they’ll be fine. The office looked nice even with the over used barn dooor look. When will that end? I had to look up the contractor because he looked too good looking to be just a contractor but his LinkedIn doesn’t point to any modeling or acting. Color me shocked. He’s just your ordinary good looking guy who looks like a model who can do real guy work. I’m very impressed. LOL!!!!!!

ETA: I stand corrected. I checked his Instagram (don’t judge) he’s most definitely a model who dabbles in contracting or vice versa. At least, he works. I’m okay with that. 

I had the same thought about the contractor and the designer, that they were both very LA. I assumed they had model/"influencer"/media aspirations beyond their vocations.

[Vivigirl10]

I know it's all part of the show but why-oh-why would any of these people employ a "designer" when their tastes are so completely run of the mill???  Who can't go to Lowe's and pick out some white shaker cabinets and the local kitchen and bath shop and purchase a white countertop?  Geesh.  It's comical everytime the designer says, "I propose.....", pulls out the same three materials and the owners go ga-ga like they've never seen such originality!

If I were to hire a designer, my first question before moving any further would be, "do you ever propose a barn door"?  Because if you do, I'm not trusing the design aesthetic of my home to your dim wit.    

[ByaNose]

3 hours ago, Kiki620 said:

I know it's all part of the show but why-oh-why would any of these people employ a "designer" when their tastes are so completely run of the mill???  Who can't go to Lowe's and pick out some white shaker cabinets and the local kitchen and bath shop and purchase a white countertop?  Geesh.  It's comical everytime the designer says, "I propose.....", pulls out the same three materials and the owners go ga-ga like they've never seen such originality!

If I were to hire a designer, my first question before moving any further would be, "do you ever propose a barn door"?  Because if you do, I'm not trusing the design aesthetic of my home to your dim wit.    

I assume HH hires the designer, right? Maybe, I'm wrong. You are right though. You could go to Lowes or Home Depot and do all this yourself. Unless, you are a complete idiot like most of these people on HH Renovation who can't think for themselves. They would probably save some money, too.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 1/5/2019 at 9:31 PM, Pickles said:

The Denver episode on tonight. The wife's voice. Ack. Kind of like Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse? They have a $900k budget, but are living with one of the wife's coworkers which is "awkward". If your housing budget is almost a million dollars, can't you rent a place to live while you house hunt and not live with a coworker??

Not in Denver! 

I kid.  Kind of.

On 2/10/2019 at 8:35 AM, juliet73 said:

I thought the house was too open and there seemed to be a lot of wasted space.  I liked the kitchen, but they lost a ton of storage.  I didn't like the formal dining room being just a few steps away from the casual dining area.  I didn't like the fireplace either.  The pool still looked green

It looked green to me, too.  Are there pools that purposely have green bottoms?  I've seen different colors of blue, and maybe white that looks blue.  But green?  I actually think that might be kind of cool, but read on...

6 hours ago, Kiki620 said:

I know it's all part of the show but why-oh-why would any of these people employ a "designer" when their tastes are so completely run of the mill???  Who can't go to Lowe's and pick out some white shaker cabinets and the local kitchen and bath shop and purchase a white countertop?  Geesh.  It's comical everytime the designer says, "I propose.....", pulls out the same three materials and the owners go ga-ga like they've never seen such originality!

Those of you who have even a tiny bit of taste will never understand what it's like for those of us who don't.  I do know there are many many shades of white, and I could never trust myself to get white cabinets and a white countertop that don't clash or otherwise manage to look terrible together.

Quote

If I were to hire a designer, my first question before moving any further would be, "do you ever propose a barn door"?  Because if you do, I'm not trusing the design aesthetic of my home to your dim wit.   

That's a good example.  I know I wouldn't want a barn door.  But even though I know what I don't want, that doesn't mean I know what I do want, much less how to make it go together or otherwise look decent.

It seems so obvious to people who aren't similarly afflicted, but I'm telling you, it's crippling. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

The designer comes with the show, and though the designer has floor plans, measurements, and photos of the room or rooms they're redoing, they only meet for the proposal meeting.    At least, that's what I've read about the show.  

The homeowners do have veto power, but the deer in the headlights look they sometimes have is because they haven't yet rejected everything the designer proposed.    Anyone who suggested a barn door in my house would be sitting on the front lawn, and wondering why they're in so much pain.  

What seems funny to me is that the dark cabinets, black counter tops, and other things the home buyers think is so dated is exactly what people wanted five years or so ago.    So I'm guessing that within  a few years, people will be wanting color, and ripping out all white kitchens.  

Edited February 13, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[shlbycindyk]

When I see a house that is all white I have to wonder why these people want to live in something that looks like the inside of an igloo.  

Several of you have mentioned that if a designer wanted to put a barn door in your house they'd be sitting on the lawn wondering what had happened.   I feel the same way about any designer that would suggest a $2000 light for my kitchen.  I've also noticed that a lot of the people on these shows are now saying they want a little "bling" in their kitchens.  Designers are now calling cabinet hardware "jewelry" for your living space.  No, it's called "hardware" for your cabinets and bling, after a while, looks dated and tacky.  Remember the 80's brass and crystal chandeliers? Strictly my opinion.  I think in the coming years people are going to get sick of the gigantic islands in kitchens, especially after they've banged their hips on the corners a couple of hundred times, not to mention the open shelves that collect dust and grease.  I'm also hoping the "all white everywhere" craze goes away very soon.  I can't wait to see a show where homeowners say it's too open and needs a few walls.   I've noticed more people are now saying they like more defined rooms which is a relief. I was afraid it was going to get to the point where they wanted open concept bathrooms too so they could still hear their guests when nature called during one of the many, many dinner parties they have.

[LittleIggy]

Thousand Oaks(?): Another blindingly white kitchen 🙄. Why is tiling called a backsplash when it covers the wall up to the ceiling? $3500 for a bathtub? 😮 The HHs seemed nice enough. The wife bugged me though going on about a tub when there was already a tub in the other bedroom. The husband must have heard me when I said to the TV “use the closet/bedroom for the master closet.” 😆

[biakbiak]

3 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

The wife bugged me though going on about a tub when there was already a tub in the other bedroom.

She wanted a full size soaking tub. The other bathroom had a small shower tub convo which is the same at all. The one she got was deep enough to take a nice relaxing bath. I would have narrowed the vanity so the toilet wasn’t right next to the tub.

The “den” are with the tv was stupid and didn’t work. I would have made that the dinning area and had a tv area I the main living area.

Edited February 17, 2019 by biakbiak

[MsTree]

3 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Why is tiling called a backsplash when it covers the wall up to the ceiling?

Originally a backsplash was 4-6 inches and was put in place to make it easier to clean any splashes during cooking, rather than scrub painted sheetrock. The backsplash continued to grow to the underside of the cabinets. Eventually designers brought the backsplash to the ceiling, especially behind the range/stove.

[Pickles]

The surprise tub the husband added in the bathroom looked really small. I know that is all the space would allow for, but it looked micro and I wouldn't want to be sitting right next/eye level to the toilet. Did not like the kitchen backsplash, but that's just me.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Would they still have gone 25k over budget if they didn't add that useless soaking tub, brass everything, and kitchen hardware, plus the lights?    I bet that would have shaved a few thousand off the overage.  If they would have used porcelain or ceramic marble look tile in both baths, they would have saved a lot also, and wouldn't have to worry about staining on the marble either.      That freestanding tub will be a nightmare to clean behind.     

The kitchen back splash wasn't my favorite, but the white grout was better than a color grout would have been.     There are so many other tile options that would have looked better in the kitchen.